SHOTGUN MESIAH 855 Posted February 16, 2016 Report Share Posted February 16, 2016 (edited) i've got a bunch of old 12g ammo that keeps separating and lodging the plastic in the barrel. I'm not going to shoot anymore of it but what do you think I should do with it. Should I just throw it away or should I salvage the powder and shot for reloading. It is old Federal Duck & Pheasant #6 Edited February 16, 2016 by SHOTGUN MESSIAH Quote Link to post Share on other sites
patriot 7,197 Posted February 16, 2016 Report Share Posted February 16, 2016 salvage the shot, then line up the shells at a distance and use 'em for 22 practice. 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SHOTGUN MESIAH 855 Posted February 16, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2016 never thought of using them for targets..good idea ..thanks Quote Link to post Share on other sites
patriot 7,197 Posted February 16, 2016 Report Share Posted February 16, 2016 When you've got a 22, everything's a target. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SHOTGUN MESIAH 855 Posted February 16, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2016 My 22's are my least shot guns. I know..probably the most shot by others. But I just can't get excited about shooting my 22 anymore. I need something with a bit more bang and bump. 9mm is about as low as I care to go. I think shooting the 50BMG ruined the 22 experience for me. 22 just seems like a toy gun to me. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JonWienke 131 Posted February 16, 2016 Report Share Posted February 16, 2016 salvage the shot, then line up the shells at a distance and use 'em for 22 practice. A bit of caution is in order here. My dad and I did that a few years ago with some corrosive-primed WWII-vintage .45ACP rounds no one wanted to run through their pistol. While shooting at the back end of the rounds, my dad hit one dead-center on the primer. The .22 and .45 bullets went their merry way into the backstop, but the case came back and hit my dad in the knee hard enough to break the skin slightly and leave a nice bruise. Range was between 10 and 15 yards. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SHOTGUN MESIAH 855 Posted February 16, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2016 Thanks for the advice, but we were talking about shooting empty shells not live rounds. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
evlblkwpnz 3,418 Posted February 17, 2016 Report Share Posted February 17, 2016 Save it. That crappy ammo will still be worth something if it will still deliver a projectile/projectiles. Look at what people paid during the panic for things. If shit was really going bad someone might trade gallons of fuel for a few rounds of ammo. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SHOTGUN MESIAH 855 Posted February 17, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2016 Good idea. If things get real bad I could trade them for a rat burger. I can't help but think of the Road Warrior where Max comes across some old shells for his sawed off double barrel and some still fire while most just go fizzle…lol Quote Link to post Share on other sites
blessthefall 27 Posted February 17, 2016 Report Share Posted February 17, 2016 My 22's are my least shot guns. I know..probably the most shot by others. But I just can't get excited about shooting my 22 anymore. I need something with a bit more bang and bump. Had the same problem. Tried 10/22, tried putting a cool stock on it. Tried a lever action and a pistol too. Cool little 1873 replica, made by Colt with a case hardened finish. Looks beautiful but they're all just boring to shoot. Ended up selling all of them except the pistol. Collectors item IMO. Only 22 I have now is 5.45x39 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gunfun 3,931 Posted February 17, 2016 Report Share Posted February 17, 2016 You don't want to salvage unknown powder. That's a bad plan. Plus if it so old the other components are degrading, the powder probably has too. There's a partial exception for large quantities of military ammo, with known propellant, but even then you want to do a burn rate comparison to make sure it still behaves the same as recently manufactured powder of the type. And a sifting, and a visual color and clumping test, and a smell test, relative density test... So not for most experienced reloaders even. But it is how the Hodgedon powder company got started. He got military artillery or mortar shells or something like that (looked it up and WIKI says something about 303 Brit, but I am pretty sure I've read elsewhere that he started getting propellant from bigger shells that was suitable for small arms.) and got the contract to pull them down for salvage, reselling the powder to private users. Then he later got the equipment to manufacture the powder and I think acquired a company or two that manufactured. Now Hodgedon makes all of the powder branded Winchester/Olin. Hodgedon still sells that type of powder.H4895 Also BLC-2 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
csspecs 1,987 Posted February 17, 2016 Report Share Posted February 17, 2016 Dump the shot and use the primers as target practice.. Leaving bad ammo around is not a good practice.. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gunfun 3,931 Posted February 17, 2016 Report Share Posted February 17, 2016 Good idea. If things get real bad I could trade them for a rat burger. I can't help but think of the Road Warrior where Max comes across some old shells for his sawed off double barrel and some still fire while most just go fizzle…lol Somehow he has the magical ability to tell which are good by shaking them. That makes me laugh every time. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
james lambert 3,059 Posted February 17, 2016 Report Share Posted February 17, 2016 I would simply throw it away Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JonWienke 131 Posted February 18, 2016 Report Share Posted February 18, 2016 You could also spice up a campfire...from a safe distance. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lone Eagle 839 Posted February 18, 2016 Report Share Posted February 18, 2016 I can't help but think of the Road Warrior where Max comes across some old shells for his sawed off double barrel and some still fire while most just go fizzle…lol That was an old black powder shell. I have several in my collection. I fired one in my old single shot. Plenty of fire/smoke, then dumped the shot out of the barrel. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SHOTGUN MESIAH 855 Posted February 18, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2016 What would cause shell separation? Was this a manufacturing defect from the start or has age caused this? If I had to guess I would say these are from the 70's or 80's. Igot these with a bunch of other shells from the same person of the same time and all the other brands have performed well. It is just these Federal #6 shells that are bad. You don't see to many that look like brass like this anymore. They do fire fine but just separate after fireing. This is all I have left so no big loss either way. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
james lambert 3,059 Posted February 18, 2016 Report Share Posted February 18, 2016 Plastic deteriorated due to ultraviolet exposure Been in the sun too long Its just trash, throw it away 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
storm6490 2,768 Posted February 18, 2016 Report Share Posted February 18, 2016 Yep! Keep it out of the sun! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
G O B 3,516 Posted February 19, 2016 Report Share Posted February 19, 2016 Even high storage temps will deteriorate plastic. The cheaper the plastic the more it will deteriorate. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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